Blank and chart for making numerals



March 17, 1931. s wlLSON 1,797,035

BLANK AND CHART FOR MAKING NUMERALS Filed May 17, 1926 2) fr JNVEIVTOIQ:

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Patented Mar. 17, 1931 PATENT OFFICE STANTON D. WILSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI BLANK AND CHART FOR MAKING NUMERALS Application filed. May 17, 1926.

My invention relates to pattern and chart for making numerals, and has for its particular object a blank from which any-numeral may be made, either by cutting away portions of the blank to leave the desired numeral, or else by filling in portions thereof to form the desired numeral and then erasing the remaining portion.

The invention consists in a blank or design from which any numeral may be formed. The invention further consists in the blank and in the chart hereinafter described and claimed. e

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a view of the blank;

Fig. 2 is a chart showing how the several numerals may be formed by the use of said blank; and

Fig. 3 shows the blank with the numeral 7 filled in, the portions of the blank that are to be erased being shown in light lines.

Merchants, proprietors of gasoline filling stations, and others have frequent need for numbers showing prices; and it is difiicult for them to cut these numerals out of paper or the like. If the numerals are purchased, there is always the danger of running out of one particular numeral.

From the blank shown in the accompanying drawing, any numeral may be made.

Ordinarily, it is intended to furnish completed blanks as shown in Fig. 1, such blanks comprising side strips a, end strips 12, a cross strip 0 connecting the two side strips at their middles and a substantially diagonal strip d extending from the lower left hand corner to the upper right hand corner. The blank is thus symmetrical, being provided with two large trapezoidal openings 6 and two small triangular openings f. In order to form any numeral, portions of the strips are cut away from the blank as shown in the chart in Fig. 2. For instance, to form the numeral 8, the portions of the diagonal strip d on either side of the middle strip 0 are cut away, leaving the side strips a, the end strips 1) and the middle strip 0 to form the numeral 8. It is noted that in order to make any numeral, only straight cutting is required and thus any person, however inexpert, can easily Serial No. 109,619.

form any numeral by cutting away portions of the blank according to the showing of the chart.

In practice, the back of the blank is preferably covered with a suitable adhesive; so that the completed numeral may be made to adhere to any surface. A very common use for the numerals is on the glass globes usually mounted at the top of filling station pumps, the numerals indicating the price of gasoline.

Instead of forming the blanks out of paper, they may be made of any suitable sheet material and instead of being secured in position by means of an adhesive, the strips may be provided at suitable points with tongues adapted to be bent over to secure the completed numeral in position. In Fig. 1 tongues g are shown near the ends of the end strips.

If it is desired to inscribe numerals directly on any surface instead of affixing completed numerals thereto, a copy of the blank or pattern may be laid out (preferably in pencil so as to be easily erased) at each place where it is desired to inscribe a numeral. Then the desired portions of the blank pattern are filled in and the remaining portions thereof erased, leaving only the completed numeral The above described blank and chart have numerous advantages. Instead of requiring a person to have a large stock of each numeral on hand, it enables him to satisfy his requirements with a much smaller number of blanks, such blanks being cut away to form any desired numeral. Likewise, by laying out the above blank or pattern on paper or any suitable surface, a person who cannot otherwise make neat and artistic numerals is enabled to do so.

IVhat I claim is:

1. A blank or pattern for making numerals consisting of relatively long side strips, relatively short end strips, a cross strip connecting said side strips at the middle and a diagonal strip extending from the lower left oorner to the upper right corner.

2. A reversible blank and pattern for making numerals consisting of relatively long side strips adapted to form the vertical portions of numerals, relatively short end strips adapted to form the horizontal portions of numerals, a cross strip connecting said side strips at the middle and a substantially diagonal strip extending from the lower left corner of the blank to the upper right corner, said strips all being of substantially the same Width and any numeral being made by eliminating portions of said strips.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this. 14 day of May, 1926. v. v STANTON D. WILSON. 

